When Words Fail: Pray for Sarah Harkins and Her Family

When I was in high school, I had the role of Laura in Tennessee Williams' play The Glass Menagerie. I remember our drama teacher, Mr. Stewart, discussing a scene with us, a scene in which Laura's brother, Tom, does not say a word. "Why isn't he speaking?" Mr. Stewart asked us. "Because he is so full of emotion he cannot speak."

And so it is with me, following the sudden death Monday of Sarah Harkins, 32, of Fredericksburg, Va., a friend I never met face to face, but a woman who has helped to guide my journey for several years. Sarah, who was carrying her unborn child, Cecilia, died after an allergic reaction to many stings from a yellow-jacket hive disturbed in her backyard. She is survived by her husband, Eric, and four children.

My Silly Search for the "Real" Vermont

Tomorrow is our last full day in Vermont on our family summer vacation.  The Vermont Country Store in Rockingham is about four miles from the riverside cabin we are renting. I had the sense today that I must visit before I leave Vermont.  Why? I keep thinking I need to have a quintessential Vermont experience. In reality, I have been having "Vermont experiences" all week - from the stench of cow manure that wafts over to our cabin from the dairy farm next door to spending time with friends and relatives and having them share the challenges they face in their workplaces and in their families. This is what's real.

From Barnard, Vermont: Rebuilding After a Home Fire

My husband's Aunt Dagney lost her Vermont home of many years in mid-March in a fast-moving fire. Fortunately, noone was hurt and her only child, an adult daughter who lives nearby, is raising funds to help her out. The link is here.